Rail joint



Patented @et 15, 1929 STATES WLLIAM El. SMITH, OF IiIOBILLE, ALABAMARAIL JOINT l Application filed January 7, 1929.v Serial No. 330,71.

This invention relates to railroad track appliances and in particular tothe construction of joints between rail sections, having tor its primaryobject the provision'of an irnproved and novel rail joint connection.

Other objects ot the invention are: to pro-l vide in a rail jointa novelmeans tor preventing creeping;` between adjacent rail sections;

to provide an improved rail joint havingY novel nie-ans for providingsubstantially uninterrupted continuity ot tread surface; and generallyto provide a novel structural arrangement of rail sections c operatinglto provide a rail joint.

1n the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation oit a rail joint as set up inaccordance with the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan vieiv thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure l is a perspective of the fish plate at one side of the joint asillustrated in Figure 1.

The present conventional practice in this ,irt provides mainly forconnecting rail sections with transverse joints, that is, With themeeting,` ends of the adjacentl rail sections lying in planes at rightangles to the rail sectiois, e to such a construction there is ininevitable v-Jcar at the meeting edges of the rail sections, whichintime causes brealc age and results in a const-ant pounding` andclicking of Wheels passing` oversuch a joint. The present invention hasbeen rdesigned "go eliminate these objectionable character'- istics ofthe present conventional rail joint, and With the above enumeratedobjects in View, a preiferred form for carrying out the principles o'tthe invention is herein shown ind described.

ln rail joints constructed in accordance with my invention, the adjacentends 5 and (3 ot railroad rail sect-ions which are to be connectedtogether are formed so that instead vt having ends lying in planes atrightangles to the body of the rail, each ot the sections has its endcut on a diagonal line extending; across the rail Which provides angledends 7 and 8 respectively upon the sections. The

ngled ends 7 and'S oi. the two adjacent sections 5y and 6 are disposedWith their inclined. face-s arranged in opposite angles of inclinationand the sections terminate in slightly spaced relation so'that theentire area between the ends of the rail sections is adapted` to receivea connecting block 9 which .formed as a continuation of the railconstruction and is provided with inclined end lac-es 1G and 11 adapted'tor engagement with the respective end faces 7 and 8 of the adjacentsections 5 and 6.

A its central portion the connector block 9 has a width equal to thefull Width of the adjacent rail sections so that 'the central portion otthe connector block 'completely lilis the space etween the terminalportions of the adjacent rail sections providing for an uninteruptedcontinuity ot rail surface. The connector block 9 is formed adjacentkeach end with a laterally outstanding lug 12 car-r ried by the/Webportion of the block, both ot which extend from the same'side of theblock andare adapted to cooper te withsimilsr lateral lugs 13- and 14respectively l, bythe rail sections 5 and 6. At the opposite side of therail the block 9 carries a central laterally extending lug 15 disposedand cooperating ivith lateral lugs-lti-aiid 17 respectively carriedbythe acont terminal portions of the rail sections 5 and G. All of therespective Webs of the rail sections and body oi the connector block aresuitably aper tured to receive tlerethrough the desired number oisecuring` bolts 18 which are secured by the usual nuts 19 after havingbeen positioned through iish plates 20 and 21 disposed at opposite sidesoi"A the rail.

@ne of these tislrplates, 21, is Shown in perspective in Figure flwherein it VWill be noted that the body 21 is formed to the `outline oitthe joint having outstanding socket portion-s 22 which are adapted toreceive the respective lug pieces 12, 13 and 111 of the rail sectionsand con ector block. At the opposite side of the rail the fish plate 20is formed to conform with that side of the oint having a central socketportion to receive the respective lug pieces 15, 16 and 17 previouslydescribed' These respective lug pieces not only provide a means forpreventing longitudinal creeping between the respective joint elementswhen in assembled relation, but they cooperate with the web of the railsection upon which they are provided so as to maintain the uniformthickness of the web throughout the entire joint, as best shown indotted lines in Figure 2. By reason of this construction the inclinedends of the rail sections 5 and 6 are not weakened at the points Wherethey taper off substantially to a feather edge. It will be noted that byreason of the present construction there is no transverse break at thejoint connection and the meeting edges of the sections and connectorblock are disposed at a gradual angle across the rail tread surface sothat the relative continuityv of the rail tread is substantiallyuninterrupted at the joint.

I claim:

l. In a rail joint, rail sections having their adjacent ends formed atan angle, a connector block formed for engagement between the ends ofadjacent sections to provide continuity of rail tread surface, abuttingstop members carried by said sections and connector block and extendinglaterally respectively therefrom, and sh plates formed to receive saidstop members in socket recesses provided in the body thereof.

l 2. In a rail joint, rail sections having their adjacent ends disposedin spaced relation and cut at an angle relative to the longitudinal axisof the rail, a connector block having its opposite ends angled inconformity with the adjacent ends of the rail sections and formed .tofill the entire area between the respective rail sections, fish platescooperating with said c joint at opposite sides thereof, and laterallyprojecting lug members formed on said rail sections and connector blockfor engagement in portions of said fish plates.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

WILLIAM I-I. SMITH.

